Google buys visual shopping engine Like.com

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Google has acquired Like.com, which offers a visual search engine for retail products, a deal aimed at boosting Google’s shopping search capabilities and services like its Products engine.

The acquistion comes years after the first rumors emerged that Google was interested in buying Like.com, which was initially known as Riya when the company was founded in 2004.

Like.com CEO and co-founder Munjal Shah announced the deal on his company’s home page on Friday. “We see joining Google as a way to supersize our vision and supercharge our passion,” his note reads.

Using computer vision and machine learning technology, Like.com provides a visual search engine focused on shoes, clothes, jewelry and decor, according to the company.

“We’ve developed technology that lets us understand visually what terms like ‘red high-heeled pumps’ and ‘floral patterned sleeveless dress’ mean and created algorithms to understand whether those pumps complement or clash with that dress,” reads a company description.

Like.com also owns Covet.com, described as a online personal shopper for fashion products, and virtual fashion studio Couturious.com.

Shah didn’t mention any of the deal’s financial details in his note.

Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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